SINCE 1828
dictionary
thesaurus

nihil obstat

noun
Save Word
nihil ob·​stat | \ -ˈäbzˌtat, -bˌst- \

Definition of nihil obstat

1 : the certification by an official censor of the Roman Catholic Church that a book has been examined and found to contain nothing opposed to faith and morals
2 : authoritative or official approval the surest road to fame was … through the imprimatur and nihil obstat of a foreign critic— P. H. Odegard

Love words?

You must — there are over 200,000 words in our free online dictionary, but you are looking for one that’s only in the Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary.

Start your free trial today and get unlimited access to America's largest dictionary, with:

  • More than 250,000 words that aren't in our free dictionary
  • Expanded definitions, etymologies, and usage notes
  • Advanced search features
  • Ad free!

History and Etymology for nihil obstat

Latin, nothing hinders

Learn More About nihil obstat

Dictionary Entries Near nihil obstat

nihility

nihil obstat

nihonium

See More Nearby Entries 

Statistics for nihil obstat

Cite this Entry

“Nihil obstat.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nihil%20obstat. Accessed 17 Aug. 2022.

Style: MLA
MLACheck Mark Icon ChicagoCheck Mark Icon APACheck Mark Icon Merriam-WebsterCheck Mark Icon

WORD OF THE DAY

wreak

Listen to the pronunciation of wreak

See Definitions and Examples »

Test Your Vocabulary

Words Named After People

  • name tags
  • Namesake of the leotard, Jules Léotard had what profession?
Name That Thing

Test your visual vocabulary with our 10-question challenge!

TAKE THE QUIZ
Universal Daily Crossword

A daily challenge for crossword fanatics.

TAKE THE QUIZ
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Words at Play
Ask the Editors
Word Games